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Meditation on the Power of “Names”

Growing up there were times when I HATED my name. Some kids, whose hurts led them down the path of bullying, would ridicule me by making fun of it. They twisted Lang Charters into “Fang Farters”, for instance. As an adult, someone very close to me would name certain things I did, like licking a fingertip at dinner, “disgusting” or “gross”, with disdain dripping from her voice. These harmful moments felt like daggers into my heart, and I think are good reminders to remember the power of our words, and mindfully choose to speak in a way that GIVES life and love.

That said, I mainly share all this to set up this observation from Mastin Kipp, founder of the Daily Love: “It’s not what THEY call you, it’s what YOU answer to.” Other people’s “names” for us, their notions and descriptions about us, ONLY have sway over us when we let them. WE get to choose what we answer to. We can let slights, insults, shame, and so on slide right off of us like water on a waterproof boot. We have the power. Just as applicable here, I think, is our inner monologue. Do we respond to our inner critic? Do we let our insecurities, doubts, and failures define us? I don’t know about you, but I do. SO, let’s change the story. Day-by-day and moment-by-moment let’s make the answer more and more HECK NO!

With all this in mind, today, I invite us to practice answering only to good “names”, letting everything else slide off our backs. I think the essence of, the deepest truth about each of us is Light and Love, heavenly gifts given us at birth. What do you think? When internal and/or external “namings” of us arise that don’t reflect this capital T True about us, practice ignoring them by internally repeating a mantra like “I am light”, “I am love”, “I am courageous”, or anything else that resonates with and enlivens you.

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